[1] So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and
Lot with him, into the Negeb. [2] Now Abram was very rich in cattle, in
silver, and in gold. [3] And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as
Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between
Bethel and Ai, [4] to the place where he had made an altar at the first;
and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. [5] And Lot, who went with
Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, [6] so that the land could not
support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great
that they could not dwell together, [7] and there was strife between the
herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. At that time
the Canaanites and the Per'izzites dwelt in the land. [8] Then Abram said
to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your
herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are kinsmen. [9] Is not the whole land
before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I
will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the
left." [10] And Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw that the Jordan valley was
well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of
Egypt, in the direction of Zo'ar; this was before the LORD destroyed Sodom
and Gomor'rah. [11] So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley, and Lot
journeyed east; thus they separated from each other. [12] Abram dwelt in
the land of Canaan, while Lot dwelt among the cities of the valley and
moved his tent as far as Sodom. [13] Now the men of Sodom were wicked,
great sinners against the LORD. [14] The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had
separated from him, "Lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you
are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; [15] for all the
land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants for ever.
[16] I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one
can count the dust of the earth, your descendants also can be counted. [17]
Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give
it to you." [18] So Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of
Mamre, which are at Hebron; and there he built an altar to the LORD.
